The invention relates to a tappet, in particular, for a pump or a compressor, with a tube-like housing that holds, in the area of a first annular end face, a roller for a run-in of a periodic lift generator within its inner lateral surface, wherein this roller has axle ends with one or more parts that project from the end sides of the roller and by means of which the roller is seated in receptacles of the housing, wherein a bridge piece passes through the housing axially below the roller, with the lower side of this bridge piece facing a second annular end face of the housing acting at least indirectly as a contact surface for a tappet follower.
Such a tappet is disclosed in DE 10 2010 022 318 A1. It is used in a highly stressed fuel injection pump of a quality- or quantity-controlled internal combustion engine.
Increasing load bearing requirements on tappets caused, e.g., by increases in rotational speed and injection pressure, require more robust designs that, however, come up against limits on installation space. Thus it happens that a comparatively small roller is installed with only a limited bearing capacity. By increasing the roller radius, this would, stated simply, make its two annular edges contact the inner lateral surface of the housing. By increasing a radius of the tappet for housing the larger roller, its pump-side guide would necessarily have to be increased, which would result in considerable changes to already produced pump designs.